Create a Bootable ESXi USB Flash Drive Installer

For servers without CD drive the best way to install ESXI is using a USB flash drive. This article explains the steps to create a bootable ESXi Installer USB Flash Drive in less than 1 minute. The flash drive will work exactly the same as if you were using an installation CD.

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1. Download Universal USB Installer

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2. Download ESXi ISO Image

3. Connect the USB flash drive to the computer

4. Run Universal USB Installer:

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5. Under Step 1: drop down menu Select “Try Unlisted Linux ISO“. (EXSi Hypervisor was built on Linux kernel)

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6. Under Step 2: Click “Browse” to locate and select the VMware Hypervisor ESXI ISO file.

7. Under Step 3: choose the USB drive and check mark the “we will format” option. Then click “create”:

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8. Read and click on yes to the warning below to start extracting and creating the ESXI USB installer:

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9. Once completed click on Close button

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10: Now the USB flash drive is ready to be ejected and used as a bootable, installable drive.

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Video Tutorial:

Miguel

I started this tech blog back in 2011 as a place to write down processes I took to fix my client systems and network. Now I write some tips and tricks to help others with the tech issues that one might encounter.

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